National Council on Disability
Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC)
August 20, 2004 - Record of Public Meeting

The DFO called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm e.d.t.

Participants included Paul Leung, Ph.D., Darrell Simmons, and Lilly Rangel-Diaz (CDAC); Young Woo Kang, Ph.D. and Kathy Martinez (NCD Council); Errol Elshtain (guest/member of public); and Designated Federal Official: Gerrie Hawkins, Ph.D. CDAC members Jean Lin, LaDonna Fowler, and Glenn Fujuira, Ph.D. were excused. Council member Milton Aponte, J.D. was involved in court associated with his work activities.

The meeting began with roll call, welcome, and an opportunity for a guest (Mr. Elshtain) to comment about his work-related interest in this committee. He stated that his upcoming work is likely to involve use of a grant to provide outreach in African American and Hispanic communities related to people with developmental disabilities in the state of Tennessee.

After the DFO reviewed the proposed agenda for this meeting, CDAC member Lilly Rangel-Diaz requested a momentary observance in memory of former NCD member and first Council Liaison for CDAC, the late Judge Hughey Walker (Georgetown, SC). Ms. Rangel-Diaz gave a brief tribute to Judge Walker’s pioneering efforts on behalf of people with disabilities from diverse cultures. She also asked that the committee think about rededicating their collective and individual diversity work efforts in a similar vein and requested a moment of silence. After the moment was observed, the DFO added that the establishment of CDAC was in part a result of actions by Mr. Walker and other members of NCD Council members who served in 2001.

• CDAC membership recruitment - The DFO reported that approximately 25 inquiries were received about the vacancies and resulted in ten applications submitted in July. At the time of this meeting CDAC members Darrell Simmons (in lieu of Paul Leung based on travel scheduling conflicts) and LaDonna Fowler had completed their ratings and comments after reviewing applications from people who sent their letters of interest and resumes to NCD. The review process disclosed that a number of people around the country are interested in disability and diversity matters. While only five vacancies were being considered at this time, CDAC member agreed with a suggestion at this meeting that the remaining applicants could and should be asked to participate in some of NCD’s work efforts to provided broader input that informs CDAC’s advice. A suggestion was to try to provide opportunities for the interested people to become involved in some concrete and appropriate actions for members of the public as soon as possible. The end of August 2004 remained the anticipated time for the selection process to be completed. It was also planned that new members would be invited to the September 2004 CDAC meeting.

• Cultural Diversity Toolkit status – Information was provided in response to the questions that CDAC members raised in July 2004 that pertained to marketing and evaluation of the toolkit’s use and publication in other languages. The latter point will require Congressional appropriations to NCD. Based on discussion with other appropriate NCD staff it was reported that the agency has the capacity to report “use” information in the form of data such as the number of people accessing the toolkit, downloads and so forth; other specifications can be requested whether quarterly or some other frequency. Ms. Rangel-Diaz asked whether information might be obtained about capacity to learn more specific information as well, such as users being able to comment about the usefulness of the toolkit, suggestions for improvement, and so forth. The DFO will report back on these matters in September 2004. A meeting with the technical expert contractor was been scheduled for the week of August 23, 2004.

• Civil Rights Project - Discussion focused on the civil rights project’s upcoming roundtable and related activities. A key clarification was that this committee strongly supports as the overall dialogue goal of the project. CDAC also supports the plans to emphasize sharing of information, ensuring a collegial atmosphere for rekindling and/or developing partnerships, increasing collaboration, and identifying common concerns among disability and broader civil rights community policy leaders. It was reported that the cooperative agreement with the American Association of People with Disabilities for implementation of this civil rights project was near finalization.

A concern was raised about the need for attention to subgroups and diversity within diverse groups and a question of which diverse cultural groups the invited civil rights organizations would represent. Organizations of various subgroups within communities, especially among the four major groups identified in the U.S. Census groups as “minorities” and that CDAC calls “people from diverse cultures”—Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and African Americans—would be a starting point. This is reflected in the preliminary list of civil rights organizations NCD’s staff will provide to CDAC would like to be provided opportunity for dialogue and updates during the planning phases for the project. As a part of the work with AAPD and initial activities under the umbrella of NCD’s Civil Rights Project 2005, the formal plans to increase outreach and awareness via involvement and partnering with the broader civil rights community will get a boost through a roundtable session at the next NCD quarterly meeting on November 30, 2004.

Previous Meeting – Procedural Business Item:

The previously established (2002-2003) CDAC workgroup objectives were discussed briefly. With respect to current relevance to CDAC and NCD's priorities, the members present determined that it would be useful to reactivate the reauthorization workgroup and the outreach/networking workgroup. Further discussion needs to be near the top of the agenda for a future CDAC meeting.

Announcements:
Dissemination of the report continues, August 1, 2003 - People With Disabilities on Tribal Lands: Education, Health Care, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Independent Living and toolkit, Understanding Disabilities in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: Toolkit Guide. Positive responses from people with disabilities, service providers and vendors, were reported to NCD staff by the organizers and evaluators of two recent conferences. Recent sites of dissemination included the Indigenous Ways of Knowing Forum (Honolulu, Hawaii) and the Intertribal Deaf Council Conference (Toppenish, Washington). Requests for these materials as resources have resulted in NCD’s recently placed order for reprinting of the documents.

Adjournment: The committee members would respond to an e-mail canvass about the September 2004 meeting date and a notice placed in the Federal Register. The meeting was adjourned at 5:06 pm.